Overview

When Hormann North America built their new 120,000 square-foot facility in Oro-Medonte, Ontario, the goal wasn’t just more space — it was smarter space. As an OEM for industrial high-speed doors, Hormann stores a complex mix of raw materials including steel barrels, aluminium extrusions, operators, and control panels, all of which need to be accessible at the point of use without disrupting production flow. 

The move into a greenfield facility was an opportunity to get the storage layout right from day one. Platform 1 delivered a cantilever racking solution that did exactly that. 

Proximity, Access, and Production Flow 

Hormann’s previous storage setup created unnecessary distance between raw materials and the production floor. For a facility built around manufacturing efficiency, that distance translates directly into wasted time — every pick that requires a longer walk is a small drag on throughput that compounds across an entire shift. 

The new facility needed a storage system that placed raw materials close to point of use, accommodated the mixed load types Hormann handles (steel barrels and aluminium extrusions have very different storage requirements), and integrated cleanly with their existing Combilift material handling equipment. 

Cantilever Racking Designed Around the Operation 

Platform 1 specified a cantilever racking system — the right choice for facilities storing long, bulky, or irregularly shaped materials. Unlike traditional pallet racking, cantilever provides unobstructed horizontal access along the full length of each bay, which is essential for extracting aluminium extrusions and handling steel barrels safely and efficiently. 

The system was engineered to be compatible with Hormann’s Combilift, which uses wire-guided navigation. This compatibility wasn’t an afterthought — it was a design requirement that shaped the bay configuration and aisle dimensions throughout. The installation team shimmed the racking to accommodate variations in the concrete slab, ensuring the system was level and structurally sound across the full floor plate. 

Immediate Impact, Three-Year Payback 

The results were visible from the first day of operation. With raw materials now positioned directly adjacent to point of use, travel time from picking to production dropped by 50%. For a manufacturing operation, that kind of efficiency gain shows up quickly in output — and it compounds over every shift, every day. 

The projected return on investment is three years, driven primarily by the labour efficiency gains from reduced travel time. The installation also resolved the production layout challenges that had prompted the move: access is cleaner, flow is more logical, and the facility now supports Hormann’s growth plans without any need for further rearrangement in the near term. 

“The delivery and installation were on time, and the Combilift fits exactly into the system guided by wire. We are very satisfied. Platform 1 demonstrated professionalism throughout the process, and the team were well trained and did a great job.” 

— Nick Marando, Hormann North America 

Conclusion

Good storage design doesn’t just solve today’s problem — it builds the operational foundation for what comes next. If your facility is moving, expanding, or simply overdue for a rethink, it’s worth exploring what a purpose-built solution could do. 

Ready to find the right racking solution? Contact us today to discover storage solutions engineered for your business.